Sentencing hearing continued in Norristown drug case

By
, The Times Herald

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

COURTHOUSE ó A judge allowed the continuance of the sentencing hearing for a Norristown man charged with drug possession with intent to deliver and firearms offenses in Montgomery County Court Tuesday.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, last year, William Steven Solomon, 24, of the 600 block of East Airy Street, was caught with a co-conspirator in a vehicle in downtown Norristown with a number of illegal drugs packaged for sale.

Solomon was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, drug possession with intent to deliver, firearms not to be possessed without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia, possessing an instrument of crime and receiving stolen property in connection with the incident.

According to court documents, just after 2 a.m. on Feb. 29, 2012, Norristown police observed a white Buick illegally parked on the northwest corner of Cherry and Elm streets. Information obtained through a confidential police source indicated the occupants of the car were selling crack cocaine and lying in wait for a buyer.

As officers approached the vehicle, they reportedly observed the driver, later identified as co-defendant Ryan Lee, open the driverís side door, telling police the windows were broken. When the door opened, officers reportedly immediately smelled what they know to be PCP. Also in plain view, according to court documents, was a clear plastic bag of marijuana resting in the front center console. An officer reportedly grabbed the bag and found several smaller baggies within it, packaged for sale.

Lee was placed under arrest and his vehicle was towed. A search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded .41-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun under the front passenger seat, where Solomon was seated. He was also arrested and transported to the Norristown Police Department. In the rear of the police car, officers reportedly found a clear, plastic sandwich baggie with 18 small, plastic baggies inside containing an off-white, rock-like substance suspected to be crack cocaine. It was pulled from the immediate area where Solomon had been cuffed and seated.

Police later learned the firearm under the passenger seat had been reported stolen from an undisclosed location in East Norriton Township.

On Tuesday, Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Carluccio allowed for sentencing to be continued for Dec. 2 in her chambers.